The Fairly Odd Mother

I am not a huge risk-taker when it comes to my health. I floss. I get regular check-ups. I wear a seat belt, don’t swim alone and eat well.

So, it was a bit out of character when I took a risk by insisting on having a VBAC over a second C-section.

Back in 2003 when I was about to have baby #2, I had no idea that VBAC’s were so controversial that over 300 U.S. hospitals refuse to let a woman choose this birthing option. All I knew was that I didn’t want another C-section.

Two years prior, in 2001, my first child was born via an emergency C-section after an otherwise ordinary labor (Belly was a Frank breech that wasn’t discovered until I was 10cm dilated). The C-section went well, and I will forever be grateful that I had doctors available to do the surgery immediately.

But, my recovery was tough. Pain, limited movement, pain, trying to nurse, exhaustion and more pain. Suffice to say that I did not want another C-section if I could at all avoid it.

My midwife was hopeful when I told her my plans for a VBAC. My first labor had gone perfectly, and there was no sign that my body could not have delivered my 8 1/2 pound baby girl naturally if she had just turned herself the correct way.

The OB in the office, though, was not as understanding. I had to listen to lectures about uterine rupture, infant death, maternal death and other not-so-pleasant side effects, as well as sign a multi-page waiver of responsibility from the hospital. I signed. And, while my long labor with Baby #2 was very, very hard, I felt so awesome after having my chubby Jilly. I knew that I had done the right thing in deciding to have a VBAC.

By the time I was ready to have D, just 18 months later, there weren’t any lectures or scary stories. In fact, that same OB who had warned me of possible death was the one who delivered my 9-pound son, and watched me walk around the delivery room within the hour.

I write this not to say that all women should have VBAC’s, or that I think C-sections are “bad”. My C-section was as glorious an experience as my VBAC’s—when my beautiful newborns were held up for me to see, the entire birthing experience immediately became perfect.

But, to say that VBAC’s are too dangerous and C-sections are all safe is not fair. I’ve met women who would like to have more than three children, but have been told that they cannot since repeated C-sections cause a buildup of scar tissue that can later rupture. I have a friend who had this happen to her as she left the hospital with her third C-section baby, and her story sent shivers down my spine.

I know women who wanted to have a VBAC but didn’t because their doctors made rupture sound common, even thought the percentage is very small. There were others who went to hospitals that flat out refused to consider a VBAC.

Ultimately, how the babies got out of me is not nearly as important as the fact that they are here now, healthy and happy. But, I‘m also glad that I was able to make an educated choice on how they entered this world instead of being forced to follow a blanket hospital policy.

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I’d like to thank my Twitter friend, MothersWork, for bringing this topic up today.

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